Delta Guber: Police Goes After Those Behind Threat Viral Video In Omo-Agege’s Country Home

The police in Delta state has begun manhunt for those behind a doctored video in which a town crier was heard issuing threat to eligible voters to vote APC governorship candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege in Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state otherwise they will be arrested, and beaten to death.

State Police Relation Officer, Edafe Bright, said that the command is aware of the viral video clip in the social media, of a man in Orogun community, Ughelli North LGA, Delta State, speaking at nighttime, in Urhobo dialect, as a town crier, with doctored English transcription.

In the purported doctored video, the police says a message was sent out to the effect that an unnamed retired senior Police officer, had directed him to announce that all residents of the community must vote for a particular candidate in the governorship election or in default be “taken to the Police Area Command, beaten to death by the Police and buried by the government”.

According to the police spokesman, acting proactively on the inciting content of the clip, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, directed the Divisional Police Officer, Orogun Division, to carry out a discreet investigation into the matter.

The town crier was subsequently arrested for interrogation.

He admitted that he was merely acting on his own and that no serving or retired senior police officer gave him such directive, according to the police image maker.

Advertisement

“He however denied knowledge or involvement in the making of the latest version of the clip with English transcription as not being in line with his earlier message.

“Emerging facts revealed that some mischievous elements, who are out to cause tension and discontent in the state, edited and magnified the message of the Town Crier, which he had since retracted, beyond his original intention, added English transcription and put same in the social media, to serve their selfish purpose.

“This is not just malicious but criminal. The Command is gradually closing in on characters behind the said video clip, with a view to bringing them before the law”.

Edafe said that the Commissioner of Police had reassured every resident of Delta State that officers and men of the Command remained apolitical and committed to the success of the electoral process and would not be used by any individual or group to subvert the popular wish of Deltans.

“No citizen will be arrested, harassed or assaulted for exercising his/her franchise”, he reiterated.

“He equally wishes to remind Deltans of the Command’s commitment and readiness to protect the fundamental rights of every citizen, with respect to their freedom of speech and choice of candidates during this electioneering season.

Advertisement

He thus urged every residents in the State, particularly indigenes of the Orogun community, to come out en-masse and exercise their franchise on Election Day without fear, as modalities have been put in place to ensure that the election on March 18th, 2023 is hitch-free.

Meanwhile, Omo-Agege, in a disclaimer, urged Deltan to disregard the purported video trending on social media where the voice of a young man was heard warning people not to come out and vote in Orogun.

“The video was sponsored and paid for by one Billy Egbe and was shot in Egbo-Uhurie to discredit Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the APC. We have since alerted the security agencies to fish out and deal with those behind the said video”, Omo-Agege stated through his aide, Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa, Esq.